Soap tablet covered with a soft sheath



Dec. 6, 1938. I, MEYE 2,138,873

INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claude Isaac Meyer, Paris, France Application August 11, 1936, Serial No. 95,392

In France August 13, 1935 11 Claims.

This invention relates to soap characterized by the fact that it is provided with fiutings or grooves, preferably peripherical, adapted to be manufactured in various forms, the advantages 5 of which will be hereinafter pointed out; the fluted soap being covered with a soft protective sheath to be rolled up as the soap is being used, the resulting bead thus exposing each groove in the chain of grooves in succession.

The present invention is an improvement over the soap tablet described and claimed in another application entitled Manufacture of soap in tablets", flled by me on June 7, 1935, Serial No. 1 25,488, copending herewith.

ing the subject of the present invention presents many advantages as follows:

Only the rubbing surface is exposed to contact with liquid, which renders it economical in use;

A better gripis offered to the hand which is in contact with the sheath and not with the slippery soap;

In view of air being imprisoned between the sheath and the soap, the soap will float.

The annexed figures show by way of example some forms of execution of this invention.

Figure 1 shows in section fiutings having a straight, deep profile.

Figures 2 and 3 show some grooves reinforced by ribs forming alveoli in between.

Figures 4 and 5 show some alternative forms of these alveoli.

Figure 6 shows a block in which the outer surface of the ribs between the grooves is at an angle to the plane of the lateral face of the tablet.

Figures 7 and 8 show grooves having oblique sides.

Figure 9 shows a block on which the surfaces between the grooves are provided with small supplementary grooves.

In these figures the same reference characters indicate the same parts. I designates the grooves in block 2; 3 is the soft sheath; grooves I, preferably disposed parallel to the rubbing surfaces 2--2', preferably run along the entire periphery of the soap. Of course, these grooves may also be arranged in a spiral fashion, zig-zag, or any other sufficiently fiat shape to result only in a slight obliquity in relation to surfaces 22' of the soap.

Figure 1 shows a form of construction in which the fiutings l are at right angles to the lateral surface of the block and are sufficiently deep to prevent the soft substance of the sheath 3 or its bead 3' from reaching the bottom, even in case of strong pressure of the sheath on the block. Consequently, enough air remains imprisoned within the fiutings to impart buoyancy and assure the fioatability of the soap. It is to be well under stood that the section of these grooves-or fiutings may have various outlines.

The fiuted soap covered by the sheath, form-' Figure 2 shows a fiuting in cross section and Figure 3 in its central horizontal section mm, In this form of construction the fiutings are reinforced by ribs 6 so as to prevent the substance I which is between the fiutings from collapsing. One readily conceives that whatever profile is adopted for the ribs 6 there will be between them alveoli 8 of greater or lesser capacity with air imprisoned therein. The ribs 6 may be disposed either in such a manner as to support the sheath 3 or its bead 3-as shown in 6' (preferably with incurved edges adapted to fit the shape of the bead)or set back with respect to same as shown in 8".

Alveoli 3 may extend over the entire periphery of the fiutings or over only a portion of same; they can be diposed in vertical series one over another or preferably in staggered formation as shown in' broken lines on Figure 3, in order to obtain greater solidity, everything else being equivalent.

Figure 4 shows an alternative form in which each fiuting is extended inwardly of the block by means of alveoli 8 or 8' or by a continuous groove 8" narrower than the width of the fiuting. The alveoli may be either simply extended from the bottom of fiuting l, as shown at 8, or, as represented in 8 they may be almost as wide as the fiuting, with straight sides ll, so as to accentuate the pressure of the sheath 3 or of the bead 3' upon the sides of the alveoli to make up for its deformation resulting from the fact of its not being supported at this point by the bottom of the fiuting.

Figure shows an alternative form in which each fiuting is provided with more than one row ofalveoli 8 or with more than one continuous groove 8".

Figure 6 shows an' alternate form in which the outer surface of-the ribs between fiutings l is oblique in relation to the side faces of the block,

so as to have the upper edge 9 of the fiuting extending well over the bead 3', said bead remaining accessible from the lower edge; thus forming a water drop for the purpose of .throwing off the streaming water. The obliquity of said outer surface, enlarges the air spaces and facilitates at the sanie time the passage of bead 3' from one fiuting to a; lower one.

Figure 7 shows another alternative form in which the upper face of fiutings l is directed at a slant with respect to the rubbing surface 2' so as to prevent, in case of wear reaching the pper edge of the fiuting (line 2a), the sudden collapse of the block substance which can be used until the wearing surface is down to head 3' (line 2b).

Figure 8 shows a form in which the fiutings l are deep and disposed obliquely in relation to the rubbing surface 2' so as to cause the head to sink down in each fiuting gradually so the wear of the upper face of the flutlng progresses. When the bead begins to project beyond the rubbing surface the user realizes from a little added friction that it is time to pass the bead on to the lower fluting before it slips over the rubbing surface.

Figure 9 shows still another alternative form in which the outer surfaces of the ribs between the flutings are provided with grooves l0 parallel or slightly oblique in relation to the longitudinal axis of the flutings l or else are provided with knurled indentations affording ventilation and improving the'grip of the hand, while watertightness is increased owing to stronger pressure of the sheath due to the diminished surface of contact. 7

It is obvious that in all the constructional forms shown (Figures 6 to 9), it is possible to provide the alveoli 8 previously describedas indicated in dotted lines in these figures.

It will be observed that in all the examples shown the soap is provided with flutings which cooperate with the sheath in insuring an absolutely water tight enclosure for that part of the soap which is not in use. The tightness of the closure is essential in order to prevent water from penetrating between the soap and the sheath and softening and dissolving part of the soapcovered by the sheath.

Such tightness is obtained by causing the bead of the sheath to press against the edges only of the flutings in the examples of Figs. 1, 2, 8, and by causing the bead to press against the bottom of the flutings while the sides of the flutings extend well beyond the bead and cause drippings to fall externally of the sheath in the examples of Figs. 6 and 7. The" flutings must perforce be relatively wide in order to thus cooperate with the sheath, so that they could not of themselves act as air traps except possibly at the points where alveoli such as 8, 8 are provided-but in order to insure floatability of the soap it is necessary to provide air pockets of sufficient size to counterbalance the difference in density between the soap and the water, so that the sheath here also performs the new function of cooperating with the flutings in forming air pockets capable of providing the necessary buoyancy. Furthermore, the sheath forms an effective closure for such air pockets, absolutely preventing the escape of air which'would be likely to take place even if recesses of relatively small size, such as alveoli 8, 8 were used to trap the air, without providing a positive closure therefor. I

It is to be well understood that the constructional forms described above and shown are given only by way of example and may vary to a large extent, without affecting the characteristic features of the invention claimed below.

I claim:

1. In combination with a soap tablet, a pliable water-proof protective sheath adapted to be rolled up and down along the lateral faces of said tablet and having a free edge formed with a rolled bead, said lateral faces being formed with flutings extending peripherally all around the tablet, so that said rolled bead increases in diameter and can be accommodated at each of the successive flutings according as the tablet is worn away from the surface from which said sheath is rolled up, said flutings having a width less than the diameter of said roll and a depth greater than the penetrating portion of said roll, whereby said sheath forms closed air pockets in said flutings.

2. In combination with a soap tablet, a pliable water-proof protective 'sheath adapted to be rolled up and down along the lateral faces of said tablet and having a free edge formed with a rolled bead, said lateral faces being formed with flutings extending peripherally all around the tablet, so that said rolled bead increases in diameter and can be accommodated at each of the successive flutings according as the tablet is worn away from the surface from which said sheath is rolled up, said flutings being so dimensioned in width and depth that the sheath does not extend to the bottom thereof under normal air and water pressure, whereby said sheath forms closed air pockets in said flutings.

3. The combination recited in claim 2, further characterized by spaced reenforcing ribs formed in said flutings and joining the walls thereof.

4. The combination recited in claim 2, further characterized by each of said flutings being extended into the tablet in the form of a relatively narrower cavity. v

5. The combination recited in claim 2, further characterized by said flutings having straight parallel walls at the mouths thereof to accentuate the pressure of said sheath.

6. The combination recited in claim 2, further characterized by the external surfaces of said tablet being oblique between the flutings in relation to said lateral faces.

'I. The combination recited in claim 2, further characterized by the upper faces of said flutings being oblique in relation to the rubbing surface of said tablet.

8. The combination recited in claim 2, further characterized by said flutings being disposed obliquely to the rubbing surface of said tablet.

9. The combination recited in claim 2, further characterized by the external surface between the flutings being formed with indentations having substantially less depth than said flutings.

10. A soap tablet having an end wearing surface and lateral faces substantially at right angles thereto, said tablet being adapted to be provided with a pliable protective sheath to be rolled up and down along its lateral faces, said lateral faces being formed with flutings substantially parallel to said wearing surface and extending along the entire periphery of said tablet, so that the roll of said sheath can be accommodated in each of the successive flutings according as the tablet is worn away from said wearing surface, the external surfaces of said tablet being oblique between the flutings in relation to said lateral faces.

11. A'soap tablet having an end wearing surface and lateral faces substantially at right angles thereto, said tablet being adapted to be provided with a pliable protective sheath to be rolled up and down along its lateral faces, said lateral faces being formed with flutings substantially parallel to said wearing surface and extending along the entire periphery of said tablet, so that the roll of said sheath can be accommodated in each of the successive flutings according as the tablet is worn' away from said wearing surface and having spaced reinforcing ribs formed in said flutings and joining the walls thereof.

CLAUDE ISAAC MEYER. 

